First In Last Out - The Story of Sapper Cricket

By Col Andy PhillipsISBN 978090353045-3

Colonel Andy Phillips has written a de􀏐initive, beautifully illustrated, History of Sapper Cricket, taking the story from its earliest days in 1863 to the present day. The rich heritage of cricket in the Royal Engineers, is peppered with notable achievements. Sapper cricketers have represented 10 different counties making a combined total of over 1,600 􀏐irst-class appearances between them, but statistics
alone tell only a fraction of the story. This book is about the people and it looks out beyond the boundaries of the cricket pitch. Larger-than-life characters abound and some of their achievements are woven into the tapestry of the country’s sporting and military history: Scoring in an FA Cup Final; holding the world record for the most runs ever scored in an innings; earning one of the 􀏐irst Victoria Crosses of the Great War; leading the breakout from the Normandy beaches on D Day; and managing
the England Test team. Tragically, 􀏐ifteen Sapper cricketers have also had their lives cut short in the service of their country and their stories are all told in the book. Of course, the story continues and it is hoped that the current crop of players, as well as those who will follow in their footsteps, will draw inspiration from the achievements of their forbears.

The book was financed, in large
measure, by advanced subscription
sales and the Institution hold a small
number of spare copies for sale at
£16.99 plus p+p.
Please contact Emma Murphy at
email
a.inst@instre.org
or
Tel 01634 822371
Don’t delay; we do not expect stocks
to last more than a few weeks.